Coaxial wire and optical fiber trace via hybrid structures and methods to manufacture

ABSTRACT

A method of forming a coaxial wire that includes providing a sacrificial trace structure using an additive forming method, the sacrificial trace structure having a geometry for the coaxial wire, and forming a continuous seed metal layer on the sacrificial trace structure. 
     The sacrificial trace structure may be removed and a first interconnect metal layer may be formed on the continuous seed layer. An electrically insulative layer may then be formed on the first interconnect metal layer, and a second interconnect metal layer is formed on the electrically insulative layer. Thereafter, a dielectric material is formed on the second interconnect metal layer to encapsulate a majority of an assembly of the first interconnect metal layer, electrically insulative layer and second interconnect metal layer that provides said coaxial wire. Ends of the coaxial wire may be exposed through opposing surfaces of the dielectric material to provide that the coaxial wire extends through that dielectric material.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to interconnect structures, andmore particularly to forming coaxial wire structures through dielectricstructures.

Description of the Related Art

Copper wires and interconnects typically seen in printed circuit board(PCBs), interposers and package substrates. An interposer is a form ofinterconnect that is placed between a printed circuit board (PCB) and aprocessor. As chips continue to scale, chips become denser requiring ahigher pin count for the input/output (I/O). An interposer is used tospread a connection to a wider pitch or to re-route to a differentconnection. Some conventional interconnect structure employ coaxialwires. In conventional interconnect structures that extend through asubstrate, coaxial wires are limited to being straight.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a method of forming a coaxial wire is describedherein that includes providing a sacrificial trace structure using anadditive forming method, the sacrificial trace structure having ageometry for the coaxial wire, and forming a continuous seed metal layeron the sacrificial trace structure. The sacrificial trace structure maybe removed and a first interconnect metal layer may be formed on thecontinuous seed layer. An electrically insulating layer may then beformed on the first interconnect metal layer, and a second interconnectmetal layer is formed on the electrically insulating layer. Thereafter,a dielectric material is formed on the second interconnect metal layerto encapsulate a majority of an assembly of the first interconnect metallayer, electrically insulating layer and second interconnect metal layerthat provides said coaxial wire. Ends of the coaxial wire may be exposedthrough opposing surfaces of the dielectric material to provide that thecoaxial wire extends through that dielectric material.

In another embodiment, the method of forming the coaxial wire includesproviding a sacrificial trace structure using an additive formingmethod, the sacrificial trace structure having a geometry for thecoaxial wire having at least one non-linear portion, and forming acontinuous seed metal layer on the sacrificial trace structure. Thesacrificial trace structure may be removed, wherein the continuous seedmetal layer remains. A first interconnect metal layer is formed on thecontinuous seed layer having the at least one non-linear portion. Anelectrically insulating layer is then formed on the first interconnectmetal layer, and a second interconnect metal layer is formed on theelectrically insulating layer having said at least one non-linearportion. A dielectric material is formed on the second interconnectmetal layer to encapsulate a majority of an assembly of the firstinterconnect metal layer, electrically insulating layer and secondinterconnect metal layer that provides said coaxial wire having the atleast one non-linear portion. The ends of the coaxial wire are exposedthrough opposing surfaces of the dielectric material to provide acoaxial wire extending through the dielectric material.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, a coaxial wire structure isprovided that includes a dielectric base material, and a metal basedinterconnect structure extending through said dielectric base materialfrom a first side of the dielectric base material to an opposing secondside of the dielectric base material. At least one metal line of themetal based interconnect structure has a curvature extending from thefirst side of the dielectric base material to said second side of saiddielectric base material, the metal based interconnect structure beingan assembly of a first metal interconnect layer and a second metalinterconnect layer separated from each other by an electricallyinsulating layer.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of forming anoptical fiber is described. In one embodiment, the method includesforming an optical fiber from a polymeric material using an additiveforming method, wherein a geometry for the optical fiber comprises atleast one non-linear portion. A cladding layer is formed on the opticalfiber. A dielectric material may then be formed on the cladding layer toencapsulate a majority of an assembly of the cladding layer and theoptical fiber. The ends of the assembly are exposed through opposingsurfaces of the dielectric material to provide an optical fiberextending through the dielectric material.

In another aspect, a structure including an optical fiber is describedthat includes a dielectric base material, and a polymeric optical fiberextending through said dielectric base material from a first side of thedielectric base material to an opposing second side of the dielectricbase material. The at least one polymeric optical fiber has at least onenon-linear portion. In some embodiments, the polymeric optical fiber andthe dielectric base material separated from each other by at least onemetal cladding layer.

These and other features will become apparent from the followingdetailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to beread in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description will provide details of preferred embodimentswith reference to the following figures wherein:

FIG. 1A is a side cross-sectional view depicting one embodiment of astructure including a coaxial wire that includes non-linear portionsprovided by linear metal wires intersecting at angles.

FIG. 1B is a side cross-sectional view depicting one embodiment of astructure including a coaxial wire that includes non-linear portionsprovided by portions having at least one curvature.

FIG. 1C is a magnified side cross-sectional view of a portion of acoaxial wire that may be incorporated into the structures depicted inFIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 1D is a magnified side cross-sectional view of a portion of anoptical fiber that may be incorporated into the structures depicted inFIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view depicting providing a sacrificialtrace structure using an additive forming method, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view depicting forming a continuousseed metal layer on the sacrificial trace structure, in accordance withone embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view depicting one embodiment ofremoving the sacrificial trace structure, wherein the continuous seedmetal layer remains, in accordance with one embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view depicting one embodiment offorming an first metal wiring layer on the continuous seed layer.

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view depicting one embodiment offorming an electrically insulating layer on the first metal wiringlayer.

FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view depicting one embodiment offorming a second metal wiring layer on the electrically insulatinglayer.

FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view depicting a dielectric materialmay then be formed on the assembly of the second metal wiring layer, theelectrically insulating layer and the first metal wiring layer toencapsulate a majority of the coaxial metal wire, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is top down planar view depicting forming pads for solder bumpprocessing of the structure depicted in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view depicting a method of forming anoptical fiber using an additive forming method, and forming a firstcladding layer on the optical fiber, in accordance with one embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view depicting forming a secondcladding layer on the optical fiber depicted in FIG. 10, in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a side cross-sectional view depicting forming a supportingmaterial around the optical fiber and cladding layers, in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a top down planar view of the forming pads for communicationto the fiber optic and cladding layers depicted in FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Detailed embodiments of the claimed structures and methods are disclosedherein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely illustrative of the claimed structures and methods that maybe embodied in various forms. In addition, each of the examples given inconnection with the various embodiments are intended to be illustrative,and not restrictive. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale,some features may be exaggerated to show details of particularcomponents. Therefore, specific structural and functional detailsdisclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as arepresentative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variouslyemploy the methods and structures of the present disclosure. Forpurposes of the description hereinafter, the terms “upper”, “lower”,“right”, “left”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, andderivatives thereof shall relate to the embodiments of the disclosure,as it is oriented in the drawing figures. The term “positioned on” meansthat a first element, such as a first structure, is present on a secondelement, such as a second structure, wherein intervening elements, suchas an interface structure, e.g. interface layer, may be present betweenthe first element and the second element. The term “direct contact”means that a first element, such as a first structure, and a secondelement, such as a second structure, are connected without anyintermediary conducting, insulating or semiconductor layers at theinterface of the two elements.

In some embodiments, the methods and structures disclosed herein providecoaxial wire structures, and structures including fiber optics, and moreparticularly provide for forming structures for transmitting signalsthat have curvatures and angled portions through dielectric structures.Copper wires, coaxial wires, interconnects and optical fibers typicallyseen in electrical devices, e.g., devices including printed circuitboards, interposers and package substrates, are typically limited tobeing manufactured in straight horizontal and vertical directions. Insome embodiments, the methods and structures disclosed hereinmanufacture coaxial wires and optical fiber including structures, inwhich the coaxial wire and the optical fiber include orthogonal andcurved pathways. This can allow for shorter interconnect, lower latencyand lower impedance in the electrical devices employing the structuresand methods described herein. The following disclosed coaxial wiringstructure is based off trace via hybrid structures and manufacturingmethods. The disclosed structures and manufacturing methods provide agreater packing density and/or signal integrity than traditional via andtrace structure and would be cheaper to manufacture than coaxialstructures in silicon interposer, which rely on expensivephotolithography techniques.

FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate some embodiments, of an interposer 100 a, 100 bincluding one example of an interconnect structure within the scope ofthe present disclosure, that includes a coaxial wire structure 12 a, 12b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e. FIG. 1A depicts one embodiment of a structureincluding a coaxial wire 12 a that includes non-linear portions providedby linear metal wires intersecting at an angle α. FIG. 1B depicts oneembodiment of a structure including a coaxial wire 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12e that includes non-linear portions provided by portions having at leastone curvature. As illustrated in FIG. 1C, the coaxial wire structures 12a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e each include two metal wires 2, 3 separated byan electrically insulating material layer 4.

In some embodiments, the interposer 100 a, 100 b includes a dielectricbase material, i.e., dielectric body 13, and a coaxial wire structure 12a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e extending through said dielectric basematerial from a first side of the dielectric base material to anopposing second side of the dielectric base material. At least one metalline of the coaxial wire structure 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e extendsfrom the first side of the dielectric base material 13 to the secondside of the dielectric base material 13 and includes a non-linearportion. Still referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, in some embodiments, solderconnections 16, e.g., solder bumps, may be present on opposing sides ofthe dielectric body 13 on exposed surfaces of the coaxial wire structure12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e. Although depicted as a single solder bump,for a coaxial wire structure 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e there may beseparate electrical connection to each metal wire 2, 3 in the coaxialwire structure 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e.

In some embodiments, the coaxial wire structure 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d,12 e extends through the dielectric body 13 an provide for electriccommunication across the interposer 100 a, 100 b from a first side ofthe interposer 100 a, 100 b that may be in electric contact with amicroprocessor 200 to a second side of the interposer 100 a, 100 b. Thesecond side of the interposer 100 a, 100 b may be in contact with asupporting substrate (not shown), in which the supporting substrate mayinclude its own interconnect structure that is to be positioned inelectrical communication with the metal based interconnect structure 12a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e of the interposer 100 a, 100 b.

Referring to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C, the coaxial wire structures 12 a, 12b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e may be composed of metal wires 2, 3 composed of anyelectrically conductive metal. “Electrically conductive” as used throughthe present disclosure means a material typically having a roomtemperature conductivity of greater than 10⁵ (S/m). In some embodiments,the metal wires 2, 3 of the coaxial wire structure 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12d, 12 e may be comprised of aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), tungsten (W),tantalum (Ta), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), silver (Ag), and otherelemental metals. In other embodiment, the metal wires 2, 3 of thecoaxial wire structure 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e may be comprised ofmetal nitrides, such as tantalum nitride (TaN), titanium nitride (TiN),tungsten nitride (WN), and combinations thereof. The electricallyinsulating layer 4 that is separating the first metal wire 2 of thecoaxial wire structure 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e from the secondmetal wire 3 of the coaxial wire structure 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 emay be a dielectric material, such as an oxide, e.g., silicon oxide(SiO₂), nitride (silicon nitride) or oxynitride. In other embodiments,the electrically insulating layer 4 may be composed of a polymericmaterial. In some examples, the electrically insulating layer 4 isselected from the group consisting of parylene, organosiloxanes,epoxies, acrylates, urethanes, silicone, polyimide, poly(phrenyleneoxide), polyamide, polyester, PEEK, polyethelyene naphthalate,polyetherimide, fluoropolymers, and combinations thereof.

The dielectric base material of the dielectric body 13 a may be composedof SiO₂, Si₃N₄, SiO_(x)N_(y), SiC, SiCO, SiCOH, SiCH compounds, carbondoped oxides, inorganic oxides, inorganic polymers, hybrid polymers,organic polymers, polyimides, polyphenylene oxide, organo-inorganicmaterials, spin-on glasses, silsesquioxane-based materials, diamond-likecarbon (DLC), amorphous hydrogenated carbon and combinations thereof.

As noted above, the coaxial wire structures 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 eincludes non-linear portions. Referring to the interposer 100A that isdepicted in FIG. 1A, the coaxial wire structure 12 a may include angledportions. For example, linear line portions of the coaxial wirestructure 12 a may intersect at orthogonal angles α1, as depicted inFIG. 1A. Orthogonal refers to right angles, i.e., angles of 90°. It isnoted that this is only one example of the angle between intersectinglinear portions of the coaxial wire structure 12 a. For example, in oneembodiment, the angle α1 connecting intersecting line portions of thecoaxial wire structure 12 a may range from 15° to 85°. In otherembodiments, the angle α1 connecting intersecting line portions of thecoaxial wire structure 12 a may range from 30° to 60°. In some examples,the angle α1 connecting intersecting liner portions of the coaxial wirestructure 12 a may be equal to 15°, 20°, 25°, 30°, 35°, 45°, 55°, 60°,65°, 70°, 75°, 80°, 85° and 90°.

Referring to the interposer 100B that is depicted in FIG. 1B, thecoaxial wire structures 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e may include curvedportions. A curve is a line that is not straight. In some embodiments,the curvature of the metal lines 2, 3 of the coaxial wire structure is asingle arc extending continuously from a first side to a second side ofthe dielectric base material as identified by reference number 12 d. Inanother embodiment, the curvature of the metal lines 2, 3 for thecoaxial wire structure has multiple arcs, as depicted by the structureshaving reference numbers 12 b, 12 c, and 12 e. For example, thecurvature may be sigmoidal. In yet other embodiments, the curvature forthe metal lines 2, 3 of the coaxial wire structure may include a firstarc at a first side of the dielectric body 13, and a second arc at asecond side of the dielectric body 13A, wherein a linear portion of thecoaxial wire structure is present therebetween, as illustrated by thestructure having reference number 12 b. In yet another embodiment, thecoaxial wire structure may be “U” shaped, in which each end of thecoaxial wire exits a single same side of the dielectric body.

It is noted that the angled structures that provide the coaxial wirestructures 12 a in FIG. 1A, and the curved structures that provide thecoaxial wire structures 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e, may be employedsimultaneously with linear coaxial wires in the same dielectric body 13.For example, FIG. 1B illustrates linear coaxial wires identified byreference number 12 f.

Although the structure depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B, is an interposer,the methods and structures disclosed herein are equally applicable toother forms of interconnect structures, as well as printed circuitboards (PCBs) and components related to printed circuit boards (PCBs).Further details of the methods of the present disclosure are nowdiscussed with greater detail with reference to FIGS. 2-14.

FIG. 2 depicts providing a sacrificial trace structure 10 using anadditive forming method. The term ‘sacrificial” denotes a structure thatfacilitates the formation of a material layer within a final devicestructure, yet the sacrificial structure is not present in the finaldevice structure. The sacrificial trace structure 10 provides astructure having a geometry, e.g., including lines having angles orcurvatures, that provides the geometry of the metal lines 2, 3 for thelater formed coaxial wire structures, e.g., the structures identified byreference numbers 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e in FIGS. 1A-1C.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is an appropriate name to describe thetechnologies that build 3D objects by adding layer-upon-layer ofmaterial, whether the material is dielectric, plastic, metal, ofsemiconductor composition or combination thereof. The sacrificial tracestructure 10 is formed using a three dimensional additive methodselected from the group consisting of stereolithography,self-propagating waveguide formation, fused deposition modeling (FDM),selective laser sintering (SLS), continuous liquid interface production(CLIP), digital light processing (DLP), material jetting, andcombinations thereof.

Stereolithography a technique or process for creating three-dimensionalobjects, in which a computer-controlled moving laser beam is used tobuild up the required structure, layer by layer, from a liquid polymerthat hardens on contact with laser light. In some embodiments, astereolithography technique provides a method to build a 3Dmicrostructure in a layer-by-layer process, which can involve a platform(e.g., substrate) that is lowered into a photo-monomer bath in discretesteps. At each layer, a laser is used to scan over the area of thephoto-monomer that is to be cured (i.e., polymerized) for thatparticular layer. Once the layer is cured, the platform is lowered by aspecific amount (i.e., determined by the processing parameters anddesired feature/surface resolution), and the process is repeated untilthe complete 3D structure is created.

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is an additive manufacturing technology,which works on an “additive” principle by laying down material inlayers; a plastic filament or metal wire is unwound from a coil andsupplies material to produce a part. In some embodiments, FDM buildsparts up layer-by-layer by heating and extruding thermoplastic filament.

Self-propagating waveguide formation typically includes the use of apolymer foam, or other cellular material. Self-propagating waveguide mayfor ordered open cellular polymer materials with micro-latticestructures and features. These materials can be formed by exposing atwo-dimensional mask with a pattern of circular apertures that iscovering a reservoir containing a photomonomer. More specifically,collimated UV light can be used to expose liquid polymer through a maskto form polymer waveguide. Within the photomonomer, self-propagatingphotopolymer waveguides originate at each aperture in the direction ofthe UV collimated beam and polymerize together at points ofintersection. By simultaneously forming an interconnected array of thesefibers in three-dimensions and removing the uncured monomer, threedimensional lattice-based open-cellular polymer materials can befabricated,

In one embodiment, the sacrificial trace structure 10 is comprised of apolymeric material. When the sacrificial trace structure 10 is formedusing stereolithography, the sacrificial trace structure 10 can becomposed of a photohardenable resin compositions comprises of at leastone photo-polymerizable compound, such as a photo-polymerizable modifiedurethane (meth)acrylate compound, an oligoester acrylate compound, anepoxyacrylate compound, an epoxy compound, a polyimide compound, anaminoalkyd compound, and a vinyl ether compound, as a main component,and a photosensitive polymerization initiator. When the sacrificialtrace structure 10 is formed using FDM, the sacrificial trace structure10 can be composed of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene ABS, Polylacticacid PLA, Polycarbonate PC, Polyamide PA, Polystyrene PS, Polyetherether ketone PEEK, lignin, rubber, and combinations thereof. When thesacrificial trace structure 10 is formed using self-propagatingwaveguide formation, the sacrificial trace structure 10 may be composedof thiol-ene polymer.

It is noted that the above compositions for the sacrificial tracestructure 10 and additive manufacturing processes are provided forillustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the disclosedmethods and structures to only the above examples. For example, inaddition to the above examples, the sacrificial trace structure 10 mayalso be formed using wire or textile layup, modular assembly, deformedperforated sheet lattice assembly, as well as other three dimensionaladditive methods.

Although the sacrificial trace structure 10 is depicted as having linearmetal line portions, the sacrificial trace structure may includenon-linear metal line portions, e.g., angled portions and curvedportions, to provide coaxial wire structures similar to the non-linearmetal lines 2, 3 of the coaxial wire structures 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d,12 e as depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 3 depicts one embodiment of forming a continuous seed metal layer11 on the sacrificial trace structure 10. The continuous seed metallayer 11 may be composed of any metal, such as nickel, copper, aluminum,tungsten, titanium, platinum, tin, gold, silver, and combinationsthereof. The thickness of the continuous seed metal layer 11 is selectedto provide a seed layer for subsequent metal depositions, and have athickness that is suitable to not be removed during the process step forremoving the sacrificial trace structure 10. The continuous seed metallayer 11 is a deposited metal layer having a conformal thickness. Theterm “conformal” denotes a layer having a thickness that does notdeviate from greater than or less than 30% of an average value for thethickness of the layer. By continuous it is meant that the continuousseed metal layer 11 is free of breaks.

The continuous seed metal layer 11 may be deposited using a physicalvapor deposition (PVD) process, such as sputtering and vaporativedeposition. In another example, the continuous seed metal layer 11 maybe composed of nickel deposited using electroless plating. Electrolessnickel plating (EN) is an auto-catalytic chemical technique used todeposit a layer of nickel-phosphorus or nickel-boron alloy. The processmay employ a reducing agent, e.g., hydrated sodium hypophosphite(NaPO₂H₂.H₂O) which reacts with the metal ions to deposit metal. Inother embodiments, the continuous seed metal layer 11 may be formedusing electroplating and/or sputtering. In other embodiments, thecontinuous seed metal layer 11 may be formed using atomic layerdeposition (ALD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD), e.g., plasmaenhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The thickness of thecontinuous seed metal layer 11 may have a thickness ranging from 5 nm to100 μm. In another embodiment, the thickness of the continuous seedmetal layer 11 may range from 1 μm to 100 μm. In another embodiment, thethickness of the continuous seed metal layer 11 may range from 10 nm to50 nm. In some embodiments, the base material 9 may facilitateuniformity in the deposition of the continuous seed metal layer 11 onthe portions of the sacrificial trace structure 10 that subsequentlyprovide the metal lines of the coaxial wire structure of the interposer.

It is noted that in some embodiments a block mask may be formed atop aportion of the sacrificial trace structure 10 prior to forming thecontinuous seed metal layer 11 to select which portions of thesacrificial trace structure 10 may be coated with the continuous seedmetal layer 11.

FIG. 4 depicts one embodiment of removing the sacrificial tracestructure 10, wherein the continuous seed metal layer 11 remains. Insome embodiments, the sacrificial trace structure 10 may be composed ofa polymeric material that may be removed by dissolving the polymericmaterial. In some embodiments, the sacrificial trace structure 10 may beremoved by an etch process that is selective to the continuous seedmetal layer 11. As used herein, the term “selective” in reference to amaterial removal process denotes that the rate of material removal for afirst material is greater than the rate of removal for at least anothermaterial of the structure to which the material removal process is beingapplied. For example, in one embodiment, a selective etch may include anetch chemistry that removes a first material selectively to a secondmaterial by a ratio of 100:1 or greater. The selective etch process maybe a wet chemical etch or a dry etch.

FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of forming a first metal wire layer 2on the continuous seed metal layer 11. In one embodiment, the firstmetal wire layer 2 may be deposited directly on the continuous seedmetal layer 11 at a thickness that provides coaxial wire structuresincluding hollow portions. In another embodiment, the first metal wirelayer 2 is deposited directly on the continuous metal seed layer 11 at athickness to provide solid metal lines for the coaxial wires structureof the interposer, as depicted in FIG. 5.

The first metal wire layer 2 may be composed of any metal that providesan electrically conductive material. For example, the first metal wirelayer 2 may be composed of copper, nickel, aluminum, titanium, tungsten,tantalum, platinum, tin, gold, silver and combinations thereof.

In some embodiments, first metal wire layer 2 may be deposited using aphysical vapor deposition (PVD) method, such as sputtering, evaporativedeposition, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the firstmetal wire layer 2 may be deposited using a plating method, such aselectrolytic plating, electroless plating, and combinations thereof. Inone embodiment, the first metal wire layer 2 is formed composed ofcopper deposited using electroplating. One example of a plating bathcomposition that is suitable for electroplating the first metal wirelayer 2 of copper may include a copper sulfate (CuSO₄) solution withsulfuric acid (H₂SO₄). In some embodiments, electroless deposition ofcopper (Cu) may rely on the presence of a reducing agent, for exampleformaldehyde (HCHO), which reacts with the copper (Cu) metal ions todeposit the metal. In some other embodiments, the metal for the firstmetal wire layer 2 of the coaxial wire structure may be deposited usinga chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, such as plasma enhancedchemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and metal organic chemical vapordeposition (MOCVD). In yet other embodiments, the metal for the firstmetal wire layer 2 of the coaxial wire structure may be deposited usingatomic layer deposition (ALD).

FIG. 6 depicting one embodiment of forming an electrically insulatinglayer 4 on the first metal wiring layer 2. The electrically insulatinglayer 4 separates the first metal wire 2 of the coaxial wire structurefrom the subsequently formed second metal wire 3 of the coaxial wirestructure. The electrically insulating layer 4 may be composed of anydielectric material. For example, the electrically insulating layer 4may be dielectric material, such as an oxide, e.g., silicon oxide(SiO₂), nitride (silicon nitride) or oxynitride. In other embodiments,the electrically insulating layer 4 may be composed of a polymericmaterial. In some examples, the electrically insulating layer 4 isselected from the group consisting of parylene, organosiloxanes,epoxies, acrylates, urethanes, silicone, polyimide, poly(phrenyleneoxide), polyamide, polyester, PEEK, polyethelyene naphthalate,polyetherimide, fluoropolymers, and combinations thereof.

The electrically insulating layer 4 is formed to electrically isolatethe first metal wiring layer 2 from the subsequently formed secondwiring layer 3, so that the first and second wiring layers 2, 3 can bearranged in the geometry of a coaxial wire. For example, the first metalwiring layer 2 may be the core of the coaxial wire, e.g., solid corewith substantially circular cross section, and the electricallyinsulating layer 4 may be deposited as a cladding layer on the core ofthe first metal wiring layer 2. The electrically insulating layer 4 maycover an entirety of the sidewalls of the first metal wiring layer 2 toensure electrical isolation of the first metal wiring layer 2 from thesubsequently formed second metal wiring layer. The electricallyinsulating layer may be annular in cross-sectional geometry.

The electrically insulating layer 4 is typically formed using aconformal deposition process. For example, the electrically insulatinglayer 4 may be deposited using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Chemicalvapor deposition (CVD) is a deposition process in which a depositedspecies is formed as a result of chemical reaction between gaseousreactants at greater than room temperature (25° C. to 900° C.); whereinsolid product of the reaction is deposited on the surface on which afilm, coating, or layer of the solid product is to be formed. Variationsof CVD processes include, but not limited to, Atmospheric Pressure CVD(APCVD), Low Pressure CVD (LPCVD) and Plasma Enhanced CVD (PECVD),Metal-Organic CVD (MOCVD) and combinations thereof may also be employed.In other embodiments, the electrically insulating layer 4 is depositedusing thermal growth, deposition from solution, dip coating, spraycoating, and other physical vapor deposition processes.

FIG. 7 depicts one embodiment of forming a second metal wiring layer 3on the electrically insulative layer 4. The second metal wire layer 3may be composed of any metal that provides an electrically conductivematerial. For example, the second metal wire layer 3 may be composed ofcopper, nickel, aluminum, titanium, tungsten, tantalum, platinum, tin,gold, silver and combinations thereof. The second metal wiring layer 3may be deposited directly on the electrically insulating layer 4. Thesecond metal wiring layer 3 may be a conformally deposited material. Thesecond metal wiring layer 3 may be annular in cross-sectional geometry.In some embodiments, second metal wiring layer 3 may be deposited usinga physical vapor deposition (PVD) method, such as sputtering,evaporative deposition, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments,the second metal wire layer 3 may be deposited using a plating method,such as electrolytic plating, electroless plating, and combinationsthereof. In some other embodiments, the metal for the second metal wirelayer 3 of the coaxial wire structure may be deposited using a chemicalvapor deposition (CVD) process, such as plasma enhanced chemical vapordeposition (PECVD) and metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD).In yet other embodiments, the metal for the second metal wire layer 3 ofthe coaxial wire structure may be deposited using atomic layerdeposition (ALD).

The assembly of the second metal wiring layer 3, the electricallyinsulating material layer 4 and the first metal wiring layer 2 canprovide a coaxial wire 12′. Although the coaxial wire 12′ depicted inFIG. 7 does not include non-linear portions, the coaxial wire 12′depicted in the method described with reference to FIGS. 2-9 can haveany of the geometries for the coaxial wires 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 ethat are illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C that include angled portions andportions including curvatures.

FIG. 8 depicts one embodiment of a dielectric material 13 may then beformed on the coaxial wiring 12′ to encapsulate a majority of thecoaxial wire 12′. The dielectric material 13 for encapsulating thecoaxial wire 12′ can be composed of any dielectric or polymeric materialthat can be deposited in a manner that fills the voids between theadjacent coaxial wires 12′ and provides the dielectric body 13 of theinterposer. In some embodiments, the dielectric material 13 may be anoxide, nitride or oxynitride material. In some examples, the dielectricmaterial 13 may be selected from the group consisting of SiO₂, Si₃N₄,SiO_(x)N_(y), SiC, SiCO, SiCOH, and SiCH compounds, the above-mentionedsilicon containing materials with some or all of the Si replaced by Ge,carbon doped oxides, inorganic oxides, inorganic polymers, hybridpolymers, organic polymers such as polyimides, polyphenylene oxide, orSiLK™, other carbon containing materials, organo-inorganic materialssuch as spin-on glasses and silsesquioxane-based materials, anddiamond-like carbon (DLC), also known as amorphous hydrogenated carbon,α-C:H). Additional choices for the interlevel dielectric layer includeany of the aforementioned materials in porous form, or in a form thatchanges during processing to or from being porous and/or permeable tobeing non-porous and/or non-permeable. The dielectric material 13 may bedeposited using spin on deposition, chemical vapor deposition (CVD),deposition from solution, injection molding, transfer molding, and avacuum may be employed to draw the dielectric material 13 within narrowpassageways to ensure that the dielectric material 13 fully encapsulatesthe coaxial wires 12′.

FIG. 8 also depicts planarizing the opposing sidewalls of the dielectricmaterial 13 to expose the ends of the coaxial wires 12′. Planarizingexposes the ends of the coaxial wire 12′ so that the metal lines 2, 3extend through the dielectric body 13 and provide points for beingengaged in electrical communication to the structures that are engagedto the interposer. The planarization process may be provided bygrinding, chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), polishing or acombination thereof.

FIG. 9 depicts solder bump processing of the structure depicted in FIG.8. More specifically, FIG. 9 illustrates the pads for connecting solderbumps to the metal wires 2, 3 of the coaxial wire 12′. Solder bumps(also referred to as “solder balls”), such as C4 (controlled collapsechip connection) bumps, have been used to bond a chip to a chip carrieror to a chip to an interposer and then bond the interposer to the chipcarrier. The term “solder”, as used herein, refers to any metal ormetallic compound or alloy that is melted and then allowed to cool inorder to join two or more metallic surfaces together. Generallyspeaking, solders have melting temperatures in the range of 150° C. to250° C. Solder bumps may be small spheres of solder (solder balls) thatare bonded to contact areas, interconnect lines or pads of semiconductordevices. In some embodiments, the solder bumps can be made fromlead-free solder mixtures or lead tin solder. The solder bumps 14, 16may be deposited using injection molding soldering (IMS) or sputtering.

Referring to FIG. 9, a first pad (identified by reference number 14) tothe first metal line 2 may be present directly under the first metalline 2 to be contacted by a first solder bump. A second pad (identifiedby reference number 15) for connectivity to the second metal wire 3through an addition solder bump may be laterally separated from thesecond metal wire 3 to facilitate solder bump formation in a manner thatwould not short to the solder bump to the first metal line 2. The secondpad 15 may be connected to the second metal wire 3 through a laterallyconnecting portions 15 a.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, an structure is providedfor transmitting optical signals that includes optical fibers, which isformed using additive manufacturing methods. By using additivemanufacturing methods, optical fibers may be formed extending throughdielectric materials having curvatures and angled portions that werecould previously not be formed using subtractive methods such aspatterning and etching. The structure for transmitting optical signalsis similar to the coaxial wiring structure depicted in FIGS. 1A-1C,which the exception that the core of the structure is an optical fiber,as opposed to a metal wire 2. Therefore the description of the metallines of the coaxial wire having reference numbers 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12d and 12 e is equally applicable to the embodiments in which the coaxialwire is substituted with a structure having an optical fiber. For theembodiments of the disclosure including an optical fiber, each of thestructures having reference numbers 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d and 12 e havea cross section as depicted in FIG. 1D. For example, the core of each ofthe structures includes an optical fiber 20 having a first and secondmetal cladding layer 21, 22 positioned thereof, as depicted in FIG. 1D.

Referring to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1D, the structure including the opticalfiber 20 may include a dielectric base material 13; and a polymericoptical fiber 20 extending through the dielectric base material 13 froma first side of the dielectric base material 13 to an opposing secondside of the dielectric base material 13. The at least one polymericoptical fiber 20 has at least one non-linear portion. For example, allof the geometries listed for the metal lines having reference numbers 12a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d and 12 e are equally applicable for the assembly ofthe optical fiber 20, first and second metal cladding layers 21, 22 andthe dielectric base material 13. For example, the non-linear portion ofthe polymeric optical fiber 20 may be a single arc extendingcontinuously from a first side to a second side of the dielectric basematerial 13, similar to the geometry depicted for structure identifiedby reference number 12 d. In another example, the non-linear portion ofthe polymeric optical fiber 20 may include at least one non-linearportion that includes multiple arcs, similar to the geometry depictedfor the structures identified by reference numbers 12 b, 12 c, and 12 e.In yet another embodiment, the polymeric optical fiber 20 may includeangled portions, similar to the geometry depicted for the structuresidentified by reference number 12 a. Any of the angles for the metalwire having reference number 12 a is applicable for an angle describingthe non-linear portions of the angled optical fiber 20. It is also notedthat an interposer may be provided including polymeric optical fibers 20having at least one non-linear portion in combination with polymericoptical fibers 20 that are entirely linear.

The optical fiber carries an optical signal. The polymeric compositionfor the polymeric optical fiber 20 may be any polymeric compositiontypically employed in optical fibers, which can also be used to formthree dimensional structures using additive manufacturing, as describedherein. In some embodiments, the polymeric optical fiber 20 may becomposed of at least one of poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) andpolystyrene, which can have refractive indices of 1.49 and 1.59,respectively. In some embodiments, the polymeric optical fiber 20 canalso be composed of silicone resin, which can have a refractive index ofapproximately 1.46. In other embodiments, a combination of polymericmaterials may be employed. For example, PMMA and/or polystyrene can be acore material, while silicone resin can be a cladding material for theoptical fiber 20.

The dielectric base material 13 for the structure including the opticalfiber 20 may be similar to the dielectric base material of thestructures including the coaxial wire. Therefore, the description of thedielectric base material that is provided above with reference to FIGS.1A-9 is suitable for describing the dielectric base material 13 that canbe used in the structure including the polymeric optical fiber 20. Forexample, the dielectric base material 13 may be composed of SiO₂, Si₃N₄,SiO_(x)N_(y), SiC, SiCO, SiCOH, SiCH compounds, carbon doped oxides,inorganic oxides, inorganic polymers, hybrid polymers, organic polymers,polyimides, polyphenylene oxide, organo-inorganic materials, spin-onglasses, silsesquioxane-based materials, diamond-like carbon (DLC),amorphous hydrogenated carbon and combinations thereof.

The polymeric optical fiber 20 and the dielectric base material 13 maybe separated from each other by at least one metal cladding layer 21,22. Each of the metal cladding layers may be composed of a metalselected from the group consisting of nickel, aluminum, copper,tantalum, titanium, platinum and combinations thereof. In addition toproviding the cladding layer for the polymeric optical fiber, the atleast one cladding layer 21, 22 can carry an electrical signal, e.g.,carry an electrical signal similar to the function of a metal wire,across the body of the dielectric base material 13. In some embodiments,the optical fiber carries an optical signal, and the cladding layercarries an electrical signal.

FIG. 10 depicts a method of forming an optical fiber 20 using anadditive forming method, and forming a first cladding layer 21 on theoptical fiber. The optical fiber 20 may be formed using any of theaforementioned additive forming methods that are described for formingthe sacrificial trace structure 10 that is described above withreference to FIG. 2. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 10, the opticalfiber 20 is being formed from a polymeric material, which is thematerial in which the selected geometry for the optical fiber 20 isbeing formed using additive manufacturing. For example, the additivemanufacturing method may be selected from stereolithography,self-propagating waveguide formation, fused deposition modeling (FDM),selective laser sintering (SLS), continuous liquid interface production(CLIP), digital light processing (DLP), material jetting, wire ortextile layup, modular assembly, deformed perforated sheet latticeassembly, as well as other three dimensional additive methods.

The first cladding layer 21 may be composed of any metal that can bedeposited. The deposition methods may be physical vapor deposition (PVD)process, such as sputtering, evaporative deposition, and combinationsthereof. In some embodiments, the first cladding layer 21 may bedeposited using a plating method, such as electrolytic plating,electroless plating, and combinations thereof. The deposition processfor forming the first cladding layer may also be provided by chemicalvapor deposition processes, and/or atomic layer deposition (ALD).

FIG. 11 depicts forming a second cladding layer 22 on the optical fiber20 depicted in FIG. 10. More specifically, the second cladding layer 22is formed directly on the first cladding layer 21, in which the firstcladding layer 21 is formed directly on the optical fiber 20. The secondcladding layer 22 may be composed of any metal that can be deposited.The deposition methods for forming the second cladding layer 22 may bephysical vapor deposition (PVD) process, such as sputtering, evaporativedeposition, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the secondcladding layer 22 may be deposited using a plating method, such aselectrolytic plating, electroless plating, and combinations thereof. Thedeposition process for forming the second cladding layer 22 may also beprovided by chemical vapor deposition processes, and/or atomic layerdeposition (ALD).

FIG. 12 is a side cross-sectional view depicting forming a supportingmaterial around the optical fiber 20 and the cladding layers 21, 22. Thesupporting material can provide the dielectric base material 13, whichcan be formed using spin on deposition, deposition from solution,chemical vapor deposition (CVD), as well as other known depositionprocesses.

FIG. 13 is a top down planar view of the forming pads 25 forcommunication to cladding layers 21, 22 surrounding the fiber optic 20.

Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” ofthe present invention, as well as other variations thereof, means that aparticular feature, structure, characteristic, and so forth described inconnection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment ofthe present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in oneembodiment” or “in an embodiment”, as well any other variations,appearing in various places throughout the specification are notnecessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

It is to be appreciated that the use of any of the following “/”,“and/or”, and “at least one of”, for example, in the cases of “A/B”, “Aand/or B” and “at least one of A and B”, is intended to encompass theselection of the first listed option (A) only, or the selection of thesecond listed option (B) only, or the selection of both options (A andB). As a further example, in the cases of “A, B, and/or C” and “at leastone of A, B, and C”, such phrasing is intended to encompass theselection of the first listed option (A) only, or the selection of thesecond listed option (B) only, or the selection of the third listedoption (C) only, or the selection of the first and the second listedoptions (A and B) only, or the selection of the first and third listedoptions (A and C) only, or the selection of the second and third listedoptions (B and C) only, or the selection of all three options (A and Band C). This may be extended, as readily apparent by one of ordinaryskill in this and related arts, for as many items listed.

Having described preferred embodiments of a system and method (which areintended to be illustrative and not limiting), it is noted thatmodifications and variations can be made by persons skilled in the artin light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood thatchanges may be made in the particular embodiments disclosed which arewithin the scope of the invention as outlined by the appended claims.Having thus described aspects of the invention, with the details andparticularity required by the patent laws, what is claimed and desiredprotected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. A coaxial wire structure comprising: a dielectric base material; anda metal based interconnect structure extending through said dielectricbase material from a first side of the dielectric base material to anopposing second side of the dielectric base material, wherein at leastone metal line of the metal based interconnect structure that extendsfrom the first side of the dielectric base material to the second sideof said dielectric base material has at least one non-linear portion,the metal based interconnect structure being an assembly of a firstmetal interconnect layer and a second metal interconnect layer separatedfrom each other by an electrically insulating layer.
 2. The coaxial wirestructure of claim 1, wherein said at least one non-linear portion is asingle arc extending continuously from a first side to a second side ofthe dielectric base material.
 3. The coaxial wire structure of claim 1,wherein said at least one non-linear portion comprises multiple arcs. 4.The coaxial wire structure of claim 1, wherein said at least onenon-linear portion comprises two linear portions intersecting at anangle.
 5. The coaxial wire structure of claim 1, wherein saidelectrically insulating coating comprises a dielectric comprised of anoxide, nitride or oxynitride material, or said electrically insulatingcoating comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting ofparylene, organosiloxanes, epoxies, acrylates, urethanes, silicones,polyimide, poly(phenylene oxide), polyamide, polyester, PEEK,polyethelyene naphthalate, polyetherimide, fluoropolymers, andcombinations thereof.
 6. The coaxial wire structure of claim 1, whereinthe first metal interconnect layer is comprised of a metal selected fromthe group consisting of nickel, aluminum, copper, tantalum, titanium,platinum and combinations thereof.
 7. The coaxial wire structure ofclaim 1, wherein the second metal interconnect layer is comprised of ametal selected from the group consisting of nickel, aluminum, copper,tantalum, titanium, platinum and combinations thereof.
 8. A structureincluding an optical fiber comprising: a dielectric base material; and apolymeric optical fiber extending through said dielectric base materialfrom a first side of the dielectric base material to an opposing secondside of the dielectric base material, wherein at least one polymericoptical fiber has at least one non-linear portion, the polymeric opticalfiber and the dielectric base material separated from each other by atleast one metal cladding layer.
 9. The structure of claim 8, whereinsaid at least one non-linear portion comprises at least one curvature.10. The structure of claim 8, wherein said at least one non-linearportion comprises at least one angled portion.
 11. The structure ofclaim 10, wherein the optical fiber carries an optical signal, and thecladding layer carries an electrical signal.
 12. The structure of claim10, wherein said polymer for said optical fiber comprises optical fibercomprises PMMA, polystyrene, silicone resin and combinations thereof.13. The structure of claim 8, wherein the at least one metal claddinglayer is comprised of a metal selected from the group consisting ofnickel, aluminum, copper, tantalum, titanium, platinum and combinationsthereof.
 14. The structure of claim 8, wherein the polymeric opticalfiber is formed using an additive forming method that is selected fromthe group consisting of stereolithography, self-propagating waveguideformation, fused deposition modeling (FDM), selective laser sintering(SLS), continuous liquid interface production (CLIP), digital lightprocessing (DLP), material jetting and combinations thereof.
 16. Acoaxial wire structure comprising: a dielectric base material; and ametal based interconnect structure extending through said dielectricbase material from a first side of the dielectric base material to anopposing second side of the dielectric base material, wherein at leastone metal line of the metal based interconnect structure that extendsfrom the first side of the dielectric base material to the second sideof said dielectric base material has at least one non-linear portionthat is a single arc extending continuously from a first side to asecond side of the dielectric base material, the metal basedinterconnect structure being an assembly of a first metal interconnectlayer and a second metal interconnect layer separated from each other byan electrically insulating layer.
 17. The coaxial wire structure ofclaim 16, wherein said electrically insulating coating comprises adielectric comprised of an oxide, nitride or oxynitride material, orsaid electrically insulating coating comprises a polymer selected fromthe group consisting of parylene, organosiloxanes, epoxies, acrylates,urethanes, silicones, polyimide, poly(phenylene oxide), polyamide,polyester, PEEK, polyethelyene naphthalate, polyetherimide,fluoropolymers, and combinations thereof.
 18. The coaxial wire structureof claim 16, wherein the first metal interconnect layer is comprised ofa metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, aluminum, copper,tantalum, titanium, platinum and combinations thereof.
 19. The coaxialwire structure of claim 16, wherein the second metal interconnect layeris comprised of a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel,aluminum, copper, tantalum, titanium, platinum and combinations thereof.20. The coaxial wire structure of claim 16, wherein the metal basedinterconnect structure carries an electrical signal.